Secrets of the Chibi Senshi Trade
by Sailor Latias
Summary: Everyone has secrets. Little girls with magical powers aren't any exception. Slow updates, sorry.


Sorry about the long wait and lack of updates on the first story. I'm thinking about just ending it there.

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><p>It was Father's Day again. Until she was ten, Setsuko Meioh always asked Setsuna about her father.<p>

Why didn't she have one too? How was she born? Why did Mother have to keep his existence a secret?

When she turned ten years old, she stopped asking. She was tired of unsolvable riddles, the seemingly constant memory wipage, and even her mother for not telling her about the man she had a right to know about. So one Father's Day, as she sat on the couch of the Royal chambers silently crying, King Endymion and Small Lady happened upon her and both asked with concern what the matter was.

"I wish I had a daddy..." sobbed Setsuko pitifully. "How can I be the only kid in the palace not to have one? All the other kids will and it'll just be me and Mother, all alone!"

"We can share my daddy, Seko-chan..." said Small Lady, hugging Setsuko tightly. "Will that help?"

The other sniffled and shook her head. "No... no, it won't help... I don't want your daddy for just Father's Day, Chibi Lady... I want my own daddy... I want him to stay with me forever..."

"Your father loves you, Setsuko," the King said sincerely. "I know he does. He loves you and he knows you'll grow into a fine young lady someday."

"If he loves me, then why- why doesn't he come and see me? Y-Your Majesty..."

"Trust me on this." Endymion answered, wiping away Setsuko's tears. "Your father and I, we're a lot alike. Believe me when I say it's hard for him too. He wants to see you, but he can't right now. Someday you'll know. Someday-"

"I don't want it to be someday, I want it to be NOW!" Small Lady backed away from the couch in fright when Setsuko screamed. The ten-year-old's behavior got more confusing for the child when she saw her older friend on her knees in front of her father, hands on his knees and crying, "Please, King Endymion... I beseech you... find my father... I want to see my daddy... I want to hear from him that he loves me... wouldn't he come home if he did? If he did, he would come see me... he wouldn't leave Mother and me alone...!"

"Sshh..." Endymion put a finger to his lips as he stroked Setsuko's hair gently. She cried into his lap until Setsuna arrived to take her home soon after.

XxX

With that memory locked away in her mind, Setsuko sighed heavily. She was nineteen... she was an adult now. She didn't need her father anymore - she and her mother were just fine without the ole bastard.

She exited the Gates of Time knowing today was once again her darkest day and began to walk to the library. The other children and Chibi Lady would be on picnics with their dads right now, or fishing, even something as simple as playing a long in between game of cards or taking a nap together was spending Father's Day together.

She ran into the Uratune (Uranus and Neptune) family going for a picnic of their own. All the Senshi knew Setsuko had a hard time on Father's Day so everyone - at least, the other adults and Usagi Serenity - went out of their way to make sure the day went as smoothly as possible for her. She seemed to have a permanent frown from dawn til dusk every single year.

"Hey, Chibi-Setsuna, you feeling up to go out today?" Haruka asked, aiming for a smile. "Michiru and I are taking the girls out to the palace gardens."

"Onee-chan, you look sad," Haru stated worriedly, "Does your dad have to work today?"

"Haru, sshh..." Michiru whispered, giving her daughter a nudge on the shoulder. Haru gave her a defiant glance.

Mei added, "Since we don't have a daddy, Father's Day means nothing to Haru and me. But sometimes, we pretend that Mama is who Hotaru-onee calls 'Haruka-papa' and we do things too. Like last year, we all went hiking, but Mommy didn't go because she said she didn't wanna intrude."

"Mei," Haruka also whispered fiercely.

"Whaa-aat?" whined the aquanette.

Setsuko smiled slightly at the children and then at Michiru and Haruka. "That's really cute, but I think I'm a little old to be called Chibi now, Haruka-san, sorry..." she sent an apologetic look to Haruka, "Honestly, that plan sounds great, but I'm not really feeling up to it- but thank you for offering! It's sweet of you... I don't have any right to intrude on your family commitments so..." she shrugged, "yeah."

"It's all right, no hard feelings." Haruka said, giving her a pat on the shoulder. "I understand entirely... Chibi-Setsuna," she winked.

"If you change your mind, you know where we'll be." Michiru smiled softly. "Take care of yourself, Seko-chan." When Setsuko nodded, the family of four kept walking.

XxX

After meeting the two Outer Senshi, Setsuko continued on her trudge to the book room, but not before running into Ryo and Amaya. They were headed there too.

"How are you today, Setsuko?" Ryo asked as they walked together. "Where are you headed? You're welcome to join us in the library if you'd like."

Quickly thinking, she said, "I'm just wandering, Ryo-san, that's all. Library again?"

He nodded fondly. "Every year."

They had reached their destination. Bidding a quick farewell to the Mercury duo, the younger of the Pluto duo fled before the tears could be formed. She had to find someplace else to be, to wallow.

XxX

'I must've run into everyone today! Or they deliberately ran into me, but still...' Setsuko thought angrily and sadly as she made her way back to the Gates of Time. Even though her mother was there with her riddles and mind wiping, it was ironically the only place that could provide her any peace. Every Father's Day until now she had spent holed up in there, trying to find bits and pieces of the man she knew her mother had her from. 'Thankfully, no Venus...' Mi's cheeriness would've made her explode.

Her last visitor of sorts was King Endymion, and only Endymion. Chibi Lady, as she found out, wasn't feeling well, so he took Setsuko to his quarters for a few snacks and a friendly, one-sided, rather fatherly chat before she returned to Setsuna for the day.

Even though she should've, she didn't power up before entering her mother's domain. She didn't feel like it.

"Hello there, Seko-chan," came Sailor Pluto's calm, motherly voice. She had a smile on her face which stayed when Setsuko neared her. Pulling her daughter into a hug, she said she had a surprise for her.

"Unless it's that certain someone who's come to give me a simple, complex but sane reason as to why he left, I'm sorry, Mother, but I do not wish to be surprised today." Setsuko said bitterly.

But her cynicism fazed no one. The smile on Pluto's face grew a bit wider. "I promise you'll like this one." Turning her head to face the haziness behind her, the Senshi of Time called, "She's here... come see your daughter."

Setsuko braced herself. Surely her mother was joking. She couldn't possibly be serious. "You're lying..." she accused, "You... you're lying!"

Sailor Pluto shook her head. "I never lie to you, dear." She moved away, a few feet behind Setsuko.

A man's figure slowly approached them. He had a cape like King Endymion did, she saw. The teenager's heart was racing. After all these years... after all the waiting... she had a father! Her father was alive and well... her father would tell her he loved her, why he left them... tell her everything was okay again... Her father...

The man soon came close enough to be properly identified. Setsuko gasped, covering her mouth while her eyes became wet. The man no less than seven feet from her... he wore lavender. He was tall. He had a cape. He had her eyes...

Her father–

"K-King Endymion-sama... you're my father?"

"Yes, Setsuko. It is I." King Endymion nodded. "I am your biological father as I am Small Lady's. Your mother and I have decided to let you keep your memories this time. I'm sorry you couldn't know any sooner... We were afraid you weren't ready to handle the burden of knowing such information. You are an adult now, and a fine young lady who has made everyone, especially Setsuna and I, very proud. I - we - know you have the maturity to-"

"Does Her Majesty know this?" Setsuko angrily asked, clenching her teeth, voice breaking, "Does she?"

"Yes, she does." Endymion admitted, stepping closer to his eldest daughter. He only got so close until Setsuko began backing up each time he tried for closer. "Seko-chan, Serenity gave me permission. The Asteroid Senshi were only going to protect ChibiUsa for so long. The other Senshi, your mother especially, wanted children, so-"

"So this is the best you could do?" yelled Setsuko, completely losing it. "If it weren't for the fact that your _wife_, the Queen of the frickin' world, gave you permission to commit illegal adultery, I don't know who to tell first - your subjects, my entire team or your fifteen-year-old _second_-born!"

She whirled around, intending to stomp her way out of there, but reconsidered and faced the King again, crying.

"You know, all these years, I've thought to myself that my father is a noble man... you know? H-He didn't visit me because he's fighting in some third-world country, or, or he's not here because he's dead from some terminal illness or warfare or something and it's been his ghost I've felt to have seen every single Father's Day where I don't remember exactly who he was but I've felt his presence with me somewhere...

"But... but all along, my so-called 'father' has been living in the same country, same area, even under the same roof as I have and I've never noticed because I wasn't supposed to... You may be the noblest man in this country, King Endymion-sama, but my father is nothing like you! This is no way a threat to you, Your Majesty, but my father is long-gone _dead_!"

"Setsuko Meioh, that is quite enough." Sailor Pluto said sternly. Regretfully, she whispered, "I'm sad I overestimated you, young one..." She reached for her Garnet Rod.

"No!" Setsuko cried, covering her ears and shutting her eyes, "Mother, I swear to Kami-sama, do NOT do this to me again! It's bad enough when I was little and naive, but now? You think a simple mind wipage is going to make me forget that my 'father' is King of Crystal Tokyo?"

Wasting no time, the nineteen-year-old pushed past her mother and got the hell out of there. This was by far the worst Father's Day ever. It hurt when her male parent wasn't there when she was small, but to be right under her nose the entire time she was crying so hard over the loss of him, that was just too much.

Inside the palace garage, she summoned the keys to her Jaguar XKR Convertible and started the engine. Impatiently waiting for the car to warm up, she repeatedly pressed the button for the garage doors to open. When they did, and the car was ready, the angry young adult backed out of the garage, not really caring if she hit anything in the process. It was better to her if she did.

She sped through the streets of Crystal Tokyo without exceeding the speed-limit and swore like a sailor to those who told her to slow down. If people knew who she really was, they wouldn't be yelling at her ass.

Eventually, Setsuko had to stop. She had a full tank of gas and more in the back but she just wasn't used to crying and driving at the same time. She didn't know where she was at - a beach of some sort - but she had to get out. So she parked her car, left her keys inside and ran to where water met land, dropped to her knees on the wet sand, and, looking toward the Heavens, asked why the Gods cursed her so. She didn't care that part of her jeans were getting soaked.

"**Are you laughing at me**, **huh**? **ARE YOU**?" she yelled in English up at the evening sky. "**What the fuck is this**, **some kind of game to you**?"

"Your English is very expressive," chuckled a voice behind her. "I think the Heavens would like it if you told _me_ what was troubling you."

Setsuko gave a shaky gasp as she turned her head. "H-Haruka-san..."

Haruka smiled gently. She helped Setsuko to her feet again and removed some of the wet sand from the teen's pants. Guiding Setsuko away from the water, she said, "Setsuna and everyone else are worried about you. What happened this year that became so bad you had to try to run away?"

"I know my father." Setsuko said simply. Haruka said nothing. Instead, she located a small bench conveniently nearby and sat Setsuko down.

"Stay here," she said, "I'll drive you home after we talk." Having no choice but to agree, Setsuko did so. She didn't want to go home anyway. Haruka retrieved the keys from inside the other's unlocked car before sitting down next to Setsuko, deciding against scolding the already upset girl about leaving her vehicle like she did. After a moment of silence, she asked, "You know, eh?"

Setsuko nodded and sniffled. "Yeah.. it's-it's Endymion."

"Here." said Haruka, handing her a handkerchief. It was taken with teary thanks. "Setsuna has her reasons for doing things. The best thing to do is not question her."

"I know..." cried Setsuko, "But, Haruka-san, it- I mean... my _father_! Why would she- how could they just... keep something like that from me?"

Haruka sighed. She had to calm her down before anything could be said. Looking around for anyone in sight, the Senshi of the Sky awkwardly hugged her best friend's daughter and gently rubbed her back. They stayed like that until Setsuko grew tired of crying and complained her eyes were sore.

"Haruka-san, do you honestly believe she did it with good intentions?" she whispered, clinging to Haruka. "Why wouldn't she just let me see my father to begin with?"

"The Senshi didn't even know about this until a few years back." Haruka said, her hand still comfortingly on Setsuko's back. She stared into the distance, like she was remembering some long-forgotten memory. "It came as a shock, but no one questioned Setsuna or King Endymion about it. Seko-chan, in case you haven't forgotten, you had a huge mouth back then. It wasn't until you entered school that you learned to control it." the sandy blonde smirked at the memory, "I suppose your parents were afraid that you would say something to Chibi-chan that would upset both of you."

"I guess so..." sniffled Setsuko a final time. "But this... just coming up out of nowhere... why would Her Majesty consent for that man to commit adultery? That is the single most disturbing thing I have ever heard in my life."

Haruka looked away, blushing.

"Haruka-san?"

"Uh- matters like that shouldn't be spoken in public..." the adult said quickly, removing all forms of physical contact from the teen.

Smiling a little, Setsuko asked, "So you're saying I should ask my mother because this stuff embarrasses you."

"... sure. I said that." Haruka smirked when she heard her giggle a little.

"You know," the younger girl said after the laughs had subsided, "you and I are a lot alike, Haruka-san. You don't talk about love with anyone except for Michiru-san, and I don't talk about that or anything beyond it with little girls such as yours."

"Good; they're not supposed to know yet." Haruka chuckled. "Are you ready to go home yet, Chibi-Setsuna?"

Taking one last look around at the sea, the sand, and feeling the wind blowing in her face and in her hair, Setsuko responded with the affirmative. Opening the door to the passenger's seat of her car, she asked, "Ne, Haruka-san, how did you know I was here? _I_ don't even know where I am."

Haruka waited until after they had put on their seat-belts and started the engine again. "A little breeze told me. This beach has memories for me, Chibi-Setsuna. Haru-chan and Mei-chan both learned something here... so did Michiru and I."

Frowning, Setsuko prodded, "What?"

To her dismay, the Senshi of the Sky only winked at her. Since Setsuko was the next Guardian of the Space-Time Door, she should have already known.

"And... maybe in private... I guess I'm not too old just yet to be called Chibi-Setsuna. _Tenoh_-_sama_."

Haruka growled softly. "Touché."

XxX

The pair drove home in silence. After parking the car and returning the keys to Setsuko, Haruka led her back to the Gates.

"I'm not allowed in, Chibi-Setsuna," she said apologetically, "You're on your own from here."

Setsuko nodded with a sigh. "I know..." She took one last look at the blonde. "Well... here goes nothing..."


End file.
